Reunification of UK is the big challenge for unionism, says Allister
He and Bryson attack DUP at rally
JIM Allister has said the biggest challenge facing unionism is to secure “the reunification of the UK” after the Northern Ireland Protocol achieved what the IRA campaign failed to deliver.
The TUV leader was speaking at a rally in Conlig Orange hall, outside Bangor, Co Down, with loyalist Jamie Bryson.
Mr Bryson said they both wore “the fundamentalist label with pride”. He warned of an increasing “spirit of defiance” as the summer approached “with the sound of the auld Orange flute in the air and the beat of the drum stirring our hearts”.
Mr Allister rounded on the DUP and UUP over the protocol “whose direction of travel and intended destination is the unification of Ireland”.
He said it had brought about a “partitioning Irish Sea border” and “abandonment to significant foreign rule”.
The TUV leader said: “By pushing the border from where it should be to the Irish Sea, the protocol achieved where the IRA failed. Little wonder Sinn Fein are its strongest cheerleaders.
“The ultimate manifestation of Irish unity is Northern Ireland and the Republic ruled by precisely the same laws. Those who so blithely accept such Brussels rule could, alas, equally accept Dublin rule.
“To now have unionists exalt in paying the single market price of EU rule must be a great comfort and encouragement to those whose purpose is to complete our detachment from the UK. Well done Gavin!”
Mr Allister added: “In TUV and Reform UK we have those who do care about such things and whose goal is the reunification of the UK and repudiation of the now Dup-owned protocol which is building Irish unity.
“These are the issues on which unionist voters will declare themselves in coming months.”
Mr Bryson accused Gavin Robinson of trying to “walk back the bold claims” made by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson about his deal to restore devolution.
“Of course, he does not do so with conviction, because how could he? It was Gavin Robinson peering over Jeffrey Donaldson’s shoulder as he was making all the demonstrably inaccurate claims,” the loyalist said.
“The desperation for a section of the DUP was to return to Stormont, no matter the price.
“Gavin Robinson is an intelligent man. He is a qualified barrister. He simply couldn’t have believed that which he was endorsing.”
Mr Bryson said the DUP had changed from insisting the Irish Sea border had gone “to a belief that it ‘may’ be removed in the autumn”.
The “zero customs paperwork claim has vanished as quickly as Jeffrey Donaldson himself,” he added. In the North Down constituency, Mr Bryson said there was little difference between Alliance MP Stephen Farry and UUP candidate Tim Collins.
Mr Bryson said the former colonel deserved “nothing but respect and gratitude” for the courage he had shown in the Army.
But he voiced his support for independent unionist MLA Alex Easton who is expected to stand in the Westminster election.
Mr Bryson said he had an outstanding “track record of serving and living in this community”.
Just as nobody would choose to send Alex Easton “with an AK47 to a warzone”, Mr Collins was ill-suited to “parachute into Alex Easton’s arena” of politics.
Mr Bryson added: “With respect, Colonel Saunders at KFC down the road there is better known than Colonel Collins in North Down.
“Unionism needs an anti-protocol, anti-irish Sea border unionist.
“There is, in my view, only one man to rid North Down of the pro-nationalist and pro-irish Sea border MP who, to our shame, has held elected office in our constituency: that man is Alex Easton.”